Decline and Decay
Britain was increasingly beleaguered by barbarian raids from northern Europe and Ireland during the fourth century. Villas around Bath were attacked and burned; many were not reoccupied, the survivors preferring to seek refuge within the walls of Aquae Sulis. The very late presence of a hypocaust room with mosaics in the outer Temple precinct suggests there was intense demand for building land within the walls.
Amidst the growing instability, travel became unsafe. The number of visitors to the bathing establishment declined, although small numbers of coins continued to be deposited in the spring up until the end of the fourth century. At the same time flooding from the River Avon up the drains made maintenance of the baths increasingly difficult. Floor levels in the East Baths were raised on more that one occasion to escape the rising water levels.
On the other side of the Sacred Spring, mud and rubbish started to accumulate in the inner Temple precinct, and exposed fragments of decorated stonework fell or were knocked off the Temple buildings. For a while tips of mud, but eventually the rising water won and black mud covered everything. It was into this mud that the Temple buildings eventually collapsed or were pulled down. In the baths, the roofs eventually gave way and crashed into the growing swamp.
Note that the Eastern range of the baths were most prone to flooding for they were closest to the River Avon and adjacent to the main drain. Water backing up the drain into the baths would have doused the furnaces and rendered the underfloor heating useless. Floor levels were repeatedly raised to escape this threat and remains of the highest can be seen attached to the east wall of the caldārium.
On the other side of the Sacred Spring, mud and rubbish started to accumulate in the inner Temple precinct, and exposed fragments of decorated stonework fell or were knocked off the Temple buildings. For a while tips of mud, but eventually the rising water won and black mud covered everything. It was into this mud that the Temple buildings eventually collapsed or were pulled down. In the baths, the roofs eventually gave way and crashed into the growing swamp.
Note that the Eastern range of the baths were most prone to flooding for they were closest to the River Avon and adjacent to the main drain. Water backing up the drain into the baths would have doused the furnaces and rendered the underfloor heating useless. Floor levels were repeatedly raised to escape this threat and remains of the highest can be seen attached to the east wall of the caldārium.
Did you know? ALL ROMAN CITIZENS HAD THREE NAMES, SO IF YOU HAD ONE, SIX OR ONE THOUSAND, YOU WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A ROMAN CITIZEN.